The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1887-11-05
For the MAGNOLIA GAzgrrE.
THE BIBLE FOR PROHIBITION.


/ Mn. EDIToR:-The opposing
parties in the contest on the liquor
question have both looked to the
Scriptures for aid 70 support them
in their respective i ositions. The
! Bible may be garbled IN such a
way as to seem to teach the
opposite Of what it is intended to
teach, Scripture may be pervert-
cd and abused in its application
and in that way serve the purpose
Of the supporters OF a bad cause.
1t is the object Of this paper to
show that the principle of Pro
hbltion as applied and contended
for in this contest is sustained by
| the teachings Of the Bible, the
| foundation OF all stable laws. A
leading object Of revelation of
the will Of God to man, and the
institution Of His government in
this world, is to subject all things
to His law or finally remove or
destroy such as cannot OF will
not be subject to the moral govern
ment Of the world. In accordance
with this the great Lawgiyer says
"woe unto the world because of
offenses' Stumbling g-biQcks must
not be put in the way Of brother
occasions must not be given far
the blind to stumble.
LIBERTY IS not TO bc used as d
cloak Of righteousness. No man
has such liberty is he can use to
) the injury or offense Of another
and ut the same time be innocent
himself. Love is the law that is
to govern intelligent beings and
when they fail 10 observe that
law they must be restrained by
such prohibitions, as will give
: them less power to offend. 1t il
a part ot the operation Of this law
: not only to 'giyc none ohense
but TO remove the s'occaslon" oi
offenses 50 far as it may be pos
! sibe to do 50 in the exercise OF the
law Of love. The destruction of
idols and "high places" was
necessary for the pi eycntion D! TIM
worship Of idols, and the making
of images vas forbidden not be-
cause there was elil in lhe image
but because men would degrade
! themselves by worshiping the idol,
The bad principle OF temptation
Is one Of the pillars supporting
tho liquor business and which
: makes it an occasion of 50 many
oilenses to the world. When W.
consider the fact that the world j,
under the government Of the Goo
of love, and that tile hlghes
I achievements of men are to b,
reached in endeavors to improve
the condition of man in thing.
that are pleasing TO God, it Seems
I cleor that the principle Of Prohi
bltion is supported by the law 0
! love. "rhou shalt love tn
neighbor as thyseif. "Loyt
worketh 10 i'll to his neighbur
therefore love is the fulfilling O
I the law, Legislation canno
: : compel men to fulfill that law
therefore the civil governmen
does not attempt to enforce il b.
| civil enactment. But the mora
: law also says Thou shalt 10
/, KILL" and gospel light reveals til
truth "that the law is not mad
!, for righteous man, but for th
7 lawlesS and .dlsobedicnt, !" etc
: Everybody knows that civil gov
: ernmeAts enact laws for the eli
! forcement of the moral law
"phou shalt not klll' and the Iif
Of the man who kills another is th
7 penalty, The CRIME is the SAM
though the murderer may be fy
I years or only five seconds, and th
instrument used d slow poison b
= bomb. IN committing the deed
: The teaching of the Bible is in
L tended to save life, anu Christ di
Z not come to destroy mems live
but To save them; he came to Civ
: life and t. give it more abundant
= ly. Paul said 1T is good neithe
to eat flesh, nor to drink win,
: nor anything whereby thy brothe
y stumbleth, or Is offended, or
: made weak The Bible is agains
= = killing and against every act c
e men that tends to degrade men
= The liquor traffic does both
therefore it is against the word q
God. and against the physical
It moral and intellectual improve
e ment of man. But the frienc
le and supporters Of the traffic te
N us that the principle Of Prohib
1t tion is a sort of compulsory +,
If ligion AN effort to legisiate me
le into the observance Of NOR;